When a fire breaks out, every second counts. But beyond extinguishing performance, additional factors are increasingly important – topics that are also increasingly coming into focus at FeuerTrutz: How many resources are used? What damage is caused by the extinguishing process itself? And how can protection concepts be made more sustainable? This is where high pressure water mist comes into play. The technology follows a fundamentally different approach compared to conventional systems, combining effective fire suppression with significantly reduced resource consumption.
The difference lies in the droplets
The key difference lies in the details – more precisely in the size of the water droplets. While conventional sprinkler systems operate with comparatively large droplets, high pressure water mist uses extremely fine water particles. “In conventional sprinkler systems, extinguishing effectiveness is achieved through the quantity of water,” explains Carsten Schröther, sales representative at the fire protection company Firian. “High pressure water mist, on the other hand, specifically utilizes physical principles.”
Instead of introducing large amounts of water into the fire zone, the aim is to maximize the effect of the extinguishing medium within the space. The fine droplets significantly increase the surface area of the water, triggering several effects at once: cooling the fire, displacing oxygen, and reducing thermal radiation.
Efficient suppression, minimized damage
Conventional fire suppression systems are highly reliable. However, the large volumes of water they release into the fire area can themselves present risks – especially in sensitive environments where electronics, technical installations, or valuable objects may be damaged. “The high water consumption of conventional sprinkler systems can cause considerable damage to electronics and sensitive equipment,” says Schröther. “High pressure water mist, by contrast, enables effective fire suppression while minimizing secondary damage.”
Reduced water usage is not only a technical advantage but also directly affects overall damage outcomes. Less water means less disruption to existing structures and lower restoration effort. This efficiency is closely linked to the system’s operating principle. A key mechanism is evaporation. “Due to the enormous surface area of the fine droplets, high pressure water mist evaporates very quickly, removing large amounts of energy from the fire in a short time,” explains Schröther. This effect is crucial in achieving strong performance with comparatively small volumes of water.
